


Rapport

by unwindmyself



Series: curious shapes shift in the dark [84]
Category: True Blood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Female Friendship, Fix-It, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, agency and choices!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 19:16:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3948505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwindmyself/pseuds/unwindmyself
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Continued preparations for the party, essentially.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rapport

**Author's Note:**

> Part two, "Love You More."

The doorbell rings and Jessica jumps up.

“Sit your ass down, You Majesty,” Pam snaps, although she’s moved on to styling Tara’s hair and doesn’t break away to physically enforce that order.  “You don’t step out of this room until Auntie gives the go-ahead.”

“I’m not gettin’ married,” Jessica giggles.  “I’m pretty sure the guests can see me before the ceremony.”

“You gotta make your grand entrance,” Pam shrugs.  “If I’m the only one here with a flair for the dramatic, fine.  Expect to be bossed so it all comes off perfectly.”

“Careful with that,” Tara says wryly, meeting her Maker’s eyes in the mirror.  “You’re talkin’ to the soon-to-be most important woman in the state.  She could have you… punished or some shit.”  It’s clear that Tara’s amused by the idea of Pam being under someone’s jurisdiction.

“That’s not the kind of queen I’m going to be,” Jessica replies haughtily.

 

* * *

 

“Miss Stackhouse, don’t you look precious,” Eric says when he opens the door.

Sookie rather self-consciously brushes off the front of her dress, circa 1950s, white with yellow flowers and bows.  “It was my gran’s,” she says.

“It suits you,” he declares.  “Very dainty.”  He waves her in, cartoonishly chivalrous like he so often is anymore, before he asks, “You’re aware that most of the guests won’t be arriving for at least an hour?”

“Yeah,” she replies.  “Willa texted me wantin’ to set somethin’ up.  She was bein’ kinda vague.  Do you know where she is?”

He chuckles.  “My youngest, having apparently inherited her aunt’s tendency toward technology, has taken it upon herself to be in charge of preserving this ceremony for posterity,” he announces, ushering Sookie down the hall.  “You’ll be able to find the both of them in the ballroom.”

“You do know that’s not how it works, that Willa’s tendencies actually have nothin’ to do with any of y’all,” she says archly.  “Seein’ as I’m pretty sure she would’ve been inclined that way or not for longer than a month and change.”

“You do know that it may just amuse us to play at this,” he counters.

Sookie shrugs in response to that.  It wouldn’t be the only way this bunch plays house.  Instead what she says next is, “Why the hell does your new house have a ballroom in it?”

“Old Authority property,” Eric replies, affecting nonchalance.  “They must have needed somewhere to host their grand soirees.”

“Their grand soirees in Shreveport?” she asks.  “Which I’m pretty sure even you and Pam think of as a hick town, despite livin’ and doin’ business here?”

“We didn’t choose Shreveport, it chose us,” he shrugs.  “But don’t you know?  Proper vampires need to be equipped for a party no matter where they go, hick town or no.”

“Oh, of course,” she deadpans.  “Otherwise whatever would happen to your reputations?”

 

* * *

 

“Can I at least go down the hall and listen for who it is?” Jessica asks, sounding impatient.

Pam grumbles, but she nods.  “At least you haven’t put your dress on yet,” she says.  “You won’t spoil that if you get seen.”

Jessica rolls her eyes, dashing down the hall and then back again in seconds.  “I think it’s Sookie,” she declares.  “She and Eric are havin’ banter.”

 

* * *

 

“Is he giving you a hard time?” comes Nora’s voice from the corner.

“Holy shit,” Sookie says instead of answering.

“A bit much, isn’t it,” Nora says apologetically.  “It came with the place.”

“Nah, Eric explained,” Sookie murmurs, unashamed of how she’s gaping.  “Y’all have to be ready for anything social.”

“Something like,” Nora shrugs, coming to join them.  “I admit it does come in handy for things like this.  I doubt the local dance hall would be willing to host a vampire coronation right now.”

“Nobody has dance halls anymore, _syster_ ,” Eric teases.  “At least not the sort that you mean.”

“Well, a formal event like this couldn’t be held at a nightclub like yours,” Nora retorts.

“Oh my god, Sookie, your dress is so cute,” Willa exclaims, finally joining as well.  Like Nora, she’s still in her dressing gown, playing with a spare computer cord wrapped around her waist.  “I love that!  You have got to show me where you got it, I still haven’t found the good vintage places around here.”

“Oh, it’s an heirloom, actually,” Sookie says, suddenly shy.  “From my grandmother.”

“Well, it’s great,” Willa says.  

“Yes, lovely,” Nora adds, belated but presumably sincere.  “Yellow looks nice on you.  That’s a gift.”  She clearly is a bit of out of practice with compliments of this sort, but she’s trying.

“Thanks,” Sookie replies.  “It, uh, it looks really good in here.  All done up.”

“Thank you,” Nora says.  “Though really, that’s Willa’s and Pam’s doing mostly.  I don’t mean to steal your compliment, dear.”

Willa shrugs cheerfully.  “We all helped out,” she says.

“Where is Pam, anyway?” Sookie asks.

“Upstairs gettin’ the others ready,” Willa explains.  “We oughta be soon, but we wanted to get this done first.”

Sookie nods.  “I’m guessin’ you’re gonna Skype Jason so he can watch the ceremony?” she says.  “That’s sweet.  He’s glad to know Jess was thinkin’ about him.”

“It was my idea, actually,” Nora murmurs.  “She doesn’t know we’re doing this.”

“Oh!”  This surprises Sookie for some reason - she knows about the recently formed triad, and that sort of relationship would usually come with jealousy of ex-lovers, but Nora seems to be exhibiting no such thing.  But then, Nora is old enough to be mature about things like that, probably.  “Well, then it’s a real nice surprise for her.”

“Modern technology is a marvel,” Eric interjects dryly.

“Says the man who wasn’t even sure which port to plug the camera into,” Willa sasses.

“Shouldn’t you be getting to the beauty salon?” Eric retorts.  “I think I can supervise while Miss Stackhouse types her name.”  He waves them off dismissively, pulling a face.

“Fine,” Willa replies, actually sticking her tongue out.  She links arms with Nora and on their way out calls over her shoulder, “See you when we’re all glamorous.”


End file.
